You didn’t think I’d settle for just the Cocoa Nib during my last visit to Cookies + Milk, did you? Unlike the bakeries and cafes that I’ve been visiting over the past few weeks, Cookies + Milk is the only place I’ve come across that specialises in cookies. It’s their business. It’s in their name. And if the Cocoa Nibs were anything to go by, I just had to see what the other cookies they have on offer are like – so here we are, the Hazelnut, Rye and Whisky Fudge Cookie.

The soft, chewy texture of this cookie is a great contrast to the considerably smaller and brittle Cocoa Nib – a testament to the range and talent of the people who run this establishment. Its moderately coarse layers of rye and crushed hazelnuts give every bite a nice granular texture, but it’s not quite as satisfying as the rippling crunch you get with Bread & Circus’ Callebaut Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut and Spelt Cookie, which has a remarkably similar taste.

In fact, the Bread & Circus cookie was the first thing my mind went to while consuming this one – so let’s call out the elephant in the room by directly addressing how they compare: the Hazelnut, Rye and Whiskey Fudge is a softer and significantly smaller cookie. Depending on how peckish you’re feeling, the Callebaut Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut and Spelt is an almost overwhelming experience that could qualify as a meal in itself; whereas the Hazelnut, Rye and Whiskey Fudge seems more sensibly sized as a snack.

The master stroke, however, is the smudge of whisky fudge at the centre, which adds an estery, malty flavour to punctuate the experience. It’s a more sophisticated flavour than the Callebaut Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut and Spelt at Bread & Circus; certainly less of a sugar hit, which is welcome.

With so many other varieties available on the menu, Cookies + Milk will be a very easy place to come back to.

9 – Another sensational cookie that doesn’t try to overwhelm you with sweetness, but impresses with complex flavours instead.

Where: Cookies + Milk, 531 King Street, Newtown, NSW 2042. It’s a brisk 10-minute walk south down King Street Street from Newtown Station. By bus, the 308, 352, 370, and 422 stop within close walking distance. There is some local parking available on Holmwood Street, which is just around the corner.

How much: $3.00 each.

About Kevvie’s Cookie Safari: People have been telling me for years that my wife’s chocolate chip cookies are the best they’ve ever eaten. It didn’t occur to me until now to test the claim. But if you’re interested, she uses a Jacques Torres recipe from the book ‘A Year in Chocolate’.